These days, more and more people are saying no to "better living through chemistry" and yes to a lifestyle that is less toxic and more environmentally friendly.

This trend toward a more natural lifestyle has become something of a crusade for Annie Berthold-Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home.

After developing hypersensitivity to even very low concentrations of chemicals, Berthold-Bond was forced to rid her life of as many toxins as possible. "It wasn't until I had to be away from chemicals that I began to realize how many we lived with. The extent of the contamination is startling--from hair spray and floor wax to dandelion killers and plastic shower curtains and other products that line our hardware stores and supermarket shelves." This book represents the culmination of her search for a more sustainable lifestyle. An encyclopedic book with 860 practical formulas for nontoxic cleaning, personal care, natural insect repellents, pest control, building supplies, and art supplies. This compendium offers helpful hints, solutions for removing laundry stains, formulas for paints, herbal lore, and more, all relating to ingredients found in the kitchen cupboard, local fields, and the family herb garden.